


Hisoka's Deal - Part Two

by Muffinmadness



Series: The Deal Verse [2]
Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Abuse, Anal Sex, BDSM, Butt Plugs, Butt Slapping, Deal with a Devil, Decapitation, Dirty Talk, Dubious Consent, Electrocution, Emotional Manipulation, M/M, Manipulation, Manipulative Relationship, Murder, Oral Sex, Psychological Torture, Rope Bondage, previous tags apply
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:22:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27975092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muffinmadness/pseuds/Muffinmadness
Summary: While Hisoka continues his crusade to dismantle the Spider, Chrollo sets his own plan into action. Escape might not be his best option, but Meteorites know how to make the best of what they've been left with.
Relationships: Hisoka/Illumi Zoldyck, Hisoka/Kuroro Lucifer | Chrollo Lucifer, Kuroro Lucifer | Chrollo Lucifer & Kurapika
Series: The Deal Verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1299200
Comments: 22
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter One

Kurapika hadn’t been particularly worried when Hisoka had killed Bonolenov. Chrollo had been surprisingly stoic about Shalnark and Kortopi’s deaths, but that didn’t mean that he hadn’t been affected.

He’d become...quieter, more thoughtful and, to Kurapika’s immense surprise, he found that he didn’t like it. Living with him for the past month had been...well, it hadn’t been what any sane person would call nice, but it hadn’t been awful either. They both seemed to have reached an unspoken understanding that they were in this for the long-haul, and had quietly gotten on with their lives. 

They brewed tea in the mornings, worked on their individual projects during the day and ate their meals together at night. Chrollo was _always_ scrupulously polite, but the playful spark that had been there when Hisoka had delivered him to his door had left his eyes. There was a distance now that he didn’t like and it had only increased when a polaroid of Bono’s mutilated body had appeared on their kitchen table. There was a kiss in the bottom corner and the caption, ‘I saw this and thought of you’ on the back. Kurapika had expected anger. Instead, he’d been met with stony silence. When a brown box had appeared on his doorstep the week after, he'd hesitated before opening it. He didn’t think he could cope if Chrollo went entirely mute.

When Franklin’s lifeless, clouded eyes stared up at him, he dropped the package and ran into his garden to be sick. The smell was beyond putrid, but it was the thought of what Chrollo would do next that had him doubling over again. 

“It’s OK.” 

He almost didn’t recognise the voice, but when he felt Chrollo’s hand stroking slow circles against his back, he knew that he had to find a way to stop Hisoka. This was anything but OK.

***

Hisoka shook with adrenaline. He could feel Illumi’s needles as they thrummed in the back of his shoulders, but he’d done it. He’d delivered the package without anyone spotting him, so he would receive his reward. Illumi would let him watch. 

Watching Chrollo slowly fall apart had been _so_ satisfying. Illumi had installed cameras throughout the house when he’d dropped off his picture, and Hisoka had been glued to the screen back at their little house ever since. 

It had been pure luck that he’d run into Franklin on his one trip into town that week. He had no idea why the huge man was there, but silently stalking and then, _finally_ , sliding the Ace of Spades across his massive throat as he’d stopped to watch some birds play around a park bench had been _orgasmic_. The fool had let his sentimentality get the better of him, but the fact that he’d had time to whisper, “Send Shalnark my best,” as he’d drowned in his own blood had made the kill almost perfect. 

Now though, now he could hardly wait to get back home. His shoulders were red-hot balls of agony, and the anticipation of the relief he would feel when his Master slowly withdrew his pins from them was electric. He knew that he probably shouldn’t be using his Nen to fling himself through the trees at such a speed, but the thought of Illumi sliding into his ass as he hit every pressure point on his back was too much to bear. He needed it the same way a dying man needed air, and he wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip through his fingers. Not again. Illumi was a hard man to please, but it didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to try, and telling him how he took the life of one of the original Spiders would surely be enough to wake the monster that lay within his Zoldyck. 

It was rare that he ever got to see it, but whenever it did emerge...oh, it was _glorious_. Coming to a halt at the garden gate, Hisoka licked his lips and tried to steady his heart. 

His Master opened the door and tilted his head. 

“What did you do, Hisoka?” he asked in his usual dispassionate monotone.

Hisoka grinned. His body was singing with pain, and his mind was alight with desire. “I posted a present to a very _special_ someone.”

***

Chrollo stroked slow circles into Kurapika’s back and forced himself to keep his tone gentle if a little distant.

His plan to turn the last remaining Kurta against Hisoka had been progressing remarkably well, and if his reaction to seeing Franklin’s head was anything to go by, he was on track to fully convert him to his cause. Kurapika would be a fitting replacement for his right-hand man. Franklin had been a strategic thinker and a formidable fighter; he refused to let his sacrifice go to waste.

“It’s OK,” he repeated and inwardly smiled when Kurapika shook his head.

“No,” Kurapika replied. “It’s not. It’s so far from OK that I’m starting to wonder how fucked up your life has to be for you to think that the head of-” He vomited again.

“Franklin knew the risk he was taking when he joined the Spider; they all did,” Chrollo assured. “His death will not be in vain.”

“How can you say that?” Kurapika hissed, refusing to look at the box when he turned to face his prisoner. “You can’t know that. Hisoka’s a psychopath. He’s a criminal. He’s-”

“Going to pay for what he did, yes,” Chrollo said, lifting his captor’s chin and wiping at it with his handkerchief as he talked. “But Franklin wouldn’t want my tears, he’d want my vengeance, and right now, I can’t do that, so I have to wait.”

“I don’t-” Kurapika began. Chrollo’s hand was surprisingly warm, and the cotton of the handkerchief felt strange against his lips. “I don’t understand you,” he admitted. 

“I know,” Chrollo said and flashed the young man a sad smile. “It’s OK, you will. I believe in you.” 

The look of shock in the Kurta’s eyes was worth the risk. Besides, he wasn’t lying; Kurapika had the potential to be exactly what he needed to take down Hisoka. Illumi would defend his brother to the death, and if he could wait until that moment, he knew that he would emerge triumphant. For the Spider to live, Hisoka had to die.

***

“Master!” Hisoka gasped, feeling the tight pull of the jute ropes against his wrists as he was bent forwards. His shoulders were writhing balls of agony, but when Illumi pulled out first one needle and then the other, he moaned in delight. Feeling his arms being stretched behind him and pulled upwards, towards the ceiling; knowing that it was _Illumi_ who was ratcheting them up, was exhilarating. He loved it when his Master bound him like this. There was something so freeing about being restrained. It was the only thing he would ever thank Chrollo for; if it weren’t for him, he’d never have considered allowing Illumi to-

“Oh, Master!” he cried, feeling his Nen-laced needle slicing a fine line across his back. “Yes, Master, _hurt me!_ ”

It was different with Illumi. The pain made sense when it was him who was causing it. With Chrollo, it had always felt like a challenge; a trial to see if he was strong enough to endure, but when Illumi made him scream, it was...

“Yes, Master, more! I love it! Please, yes!” _Show me everything. Let me feel you. Talk to me, Illumi. Pain’s a language we both understand._

He realised that he’d closed his eyes and forced them open. He watched as Chrollo escorted Kurapika through his own home and sat him down on his couch. The huge flatscreen TV that Illumi had bought for them showed it all in exquisite detail, and when the feed flicked to the next camera, Hisoka moaned again. The box was still on the porch.

“You made a clean job of the decapitation,” Illumi said, lining himself up and pressing against Hisoka’s ass. “I am proud.”

Hisoka didn’t have a chance to respond. His Master pushed inside him at the exact moment Chrollo came out and collected his package.

“Yes,” Hisoka hissed. He wanted to move, but his legs were stretched wide and fixed securely to the shackles on the floor. He was Illumi’s to do with as he pleased. 

The screen flicked again, and a needle sank into the back of his neck. “MASTER!” Chrollo disappeared into his bedroom. Everything was perfect.

***

Kurapika watched as Chrollo laid the box reverently onto his chest of drawers then turned away. He thought he saw him wipe at his eyes, but he couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He wasn’t supposed to feel _sorry_ for him. He _wanted_ to see the man suffer for what he’d done! He’d destroyed everyone and everything he’d ever loved. He was supposed to be a monster. He wasn’t _supposed_ to have feelings. He wasn’t _supposed_ to care if Chrollo cried.

He could still taste the vomit in his mouth, but he wasn’t sure if moving would draw undue attention. 

_Why do I care? He killed them! He killed them all! He_ **_should_ ** _cry! He_ **_should_ ** _hurt! He’s learning how it feels!_

He closed his eyes. The words rang hollow in his mind. If he couldn’t even convince himself that it was true, how the hell was he going to convince Hisoka? He wasn’t going to kid himself that Chrollo hadn’t noticed either. Knowing him, it was probably all part of his plan; show no weakness in front of the enemy. 

He looked into the bedroom again when he heard a sniff. Chrollo’s eyes were red-rimmed, and he was reaching into the box...

***

“It’s OK, Franklin. I understand,” Chrollo said, arranging the severed head into a more pleasing alignment. Franklin was long-gone, but the Kurta appeared to be under the impression that bodies mattered. Paying lip-service to that would be the best way to endear himself upon his captor and be the fastest way to gaining his freedom. 

He looked into the box and drew upon the sorrow and suffering of his youth to bring more tears to his eyes. He wasn’t sad for Franklin; the man had lived the life he’d chosen for himself. He’d served his city, and he had no doubt that he died, happy in the knowledge that his life had not been wasted. How many could ever say that? No, he wasn’t sad for Franklin; he was proud of him, but the Kurta wouldn’t understand. Kurapika needed to see tears; he needed grief and suffering to work through his own anger. The question was: How much would it take before he broke?

“It’s OK,” he repeated. “You’re safe now. No one can hurt you anymore, I promise.” It felt strange to say, but he could feel Kurapika’s eyes on him. Franklin would understand. “I’m sorry I let you down. I failed you all, but I’m going to-” He cut himself off and pretended to turn away in shame. He had to think of something to force more tears to fall before he turned back; the Kurta had to have his show. Closing his eyes, he recalled the cries of new mothers as their babies were torn from their arms and flung onto the heaps. His old anger boiled inside once again. He’d vowed to make Meteor City better; to change it. He had to force the world to see it for what it _really_ was. It didn’t matter what it took. They’d chosen him and he _wouldn’t_ let them down. “I’ll do more,” he snarled. “I swear. Your sacrifice will _not_ be in vain.”

***

“What do you want to do to him, Hisoka?” Illumi asked, thrusting deeper. “Tell me how you’re going to break him. Do a good job, and I might even let you cum.”

Hisoka tried to think through the rush of endorphins. Chrollo had never done this to him. He’d never sent him to _this place._

“Hurt him,” he gasped. “Make him...ohhh...” A hand wrapped around his cock. “Make him feel _pain._ Make him understand...” _Make him understand how I felt at that dinner. Make him suffer the way I did._ “Defeat him. I’m going to crush his _soul._ ”

“That’s all well and good,” Illumi said, maintaining his even tone. “But what are you going to _do_ , Hisoka?” He emphasised his point with a sharp thrust of his hips that had Hisoka whimpering in his bindings.

“Kill them!” Hisoka gasped.

“All of them?” Illumi asked, speeding up. 

“Yes! All of them! Every last... _fuck!_ ” He felt another needle slam into his side. “They _used_ me. I’m not a- ILLUMI! I’m not _their_ toy!”

“No, you were Chrollo’s,” Illumi reminded him. “He had the right to choose what to do with you.”

Hisoka shook his head. “Not that. No.” He felt Illumi slowing. “No, no, I mean...he didn’t...that wasn’t...we never agreed...” He screwed his eyes shut. “They’re all going to pay for what they did to me!”

Illumi nodded and quickened his pace. There was no way that Kalluto had touched his toy. He was too young and too disinterested in anything but finding Killua. He could always kill Hisoka if he tried to go after his brother and if he didn’t, well, certain members of the Phantom Troupe may present a mild challenge. It could be interesting.

“Good. Now tell me _exactly_ what you intend to do to them. I want to hear _every_ detail,” he growled, slamming into his toy and beginning the slow climb towards his own release. Hisoka never failed to please. He understood why Chrollo had tried to claim him. He would have succeeded too, Illumi was sure of it, if only he hadn’t allowed his desire to cloud his judgement. Illumi new better. He understood his Grim Reaper.

***

“Chrollo,” Kurapika said, unable to stand seeing the man continue to talk to the severed head as if it could still hear him. He patted the couch-cushion beside him when Chrollo turned his red-rimmed eyes in his direction. “Come here, sit down.”

It was the first time he’d given him a direct order in days, and he could see the shock on Chrollo’s face before he silently nodded and complied. The sound of his bare feet echoing across the wooden floor was almost deafening, and Kurapika had to remind himself that this was what he wanted. He wanted Chrollo to understand how it felt. He needed him to know the pain he’d caused.

_So why does it hurt so much to see?_

The sofa dipped when Chrollo sat down. He didn’t know why he’d expected anything less, but there was a hollowness to him now that hadn’t been there before. He’d watched as a spark that he hadn’t realised was necessary for Chrollo to function, had slowly faded away. The catalyst had been that damned photograph. It had seemed justified at the time, but now... 

Chrollo wasn’t looking at him. He was staring straight ahead, watching the flames in the small fireplace dance. He couldn’t even feel anger from him anymore. Before, there’d been a certain...determination about him. But when he’d looked into Franklin’s clouded, dead eyes, that had gone too. 

“You aren’t allowed to die,” Kurapika reminded him. “You have to stay here, with me.”

“I know,” Chrollo replied. “I belong to you now.”

Kurapika wanted to shake him. “No, you belong to yourself; you just have to do what I say.”

“And the difference is?” Chrollo asked, turning to face him and raising his sculpted brow. 

“You aren’t my slave!” Kurapika insisted. “You aren’t a _thing;_ you’re a man!”

“Interesting,” Chrollo replied and turned to stare at the fire once again. The smell of the Cherrywood was beautiful. Kortopi would’ve loved it.

“No!” Kurapika growled. “It’s not ‘interesting’; it’s a _fact!_ You’re not my slave, you’re-”

“Your hostage, yes, I understand,” Chrollo interrupted, making sure to keep his tone as empty of emotion as he could. “You wish to see me suffer the way you have and in order to do that, I must stay close.” He flashed him a weak smile. “I will do my best for you, Master.”

It was a calculated risk, but the look of horror on the boy’s face was worth it.

 _You really are still a child at heart, aren’t you?_ he thought, admiring the deep blue of his eyes. _You know so much about your own pain, but you don’t understand other people’s at all. You’re empathising with the man you wish to punish; can’t you see that it isn’t going to work? The individual parts of my Spider don’t matter to me; what matters is that it_ **_survives_** _. You could have taken the time to ask any of them before you set your hound on them, but no. You assume that everyone feels for their friends the way you do. You think that my grief will eat at me and force me to throw away my life in the pursuit of vengeance. Are you hoping that I’ll kill Hisoka for you, my boy? You are, aren’t you? He was never officially part of the Spider and so..._ He tilted his head as a question occurred that he’d never thought to ask before. _Can you actually kill him? He hasn’t attacked you directly... Interesting._

“For the last time, I’m not your master; I’m your keeper, nothing more,” Kurapika insisted. “You killed everyone I ever loved; I’ll _never_ be your _Master._ I don’t care enough about you to want that.”

 _Ah, so it’s not just Hisoka you’re lying to; it’s yourself as well. That’s good to know._ Chrollo bowed his head. “My apologies, Keeper. If I’d had my way, you would not have survived. I was tasked with wiping out your clan, that is true, but I had no intention of leaving anyone alive to suffer. I didn’t _want_ to cause you pain, but I did and for that,” he swallowed. “For that, I will accept my punishment.”

The slap around the face was entirely unexpected, and he looked up to see scarlet eyes staring down at him. 

“Keeper?” he asked, resisting the urge to rub his cheek.

“You _deserve_ far worse than _this!_ ” Kurapika hissed. “How dare you say that you didn’t intend for me to suffer! How _dare_ you drag them into-”

“I didn’t,” Chrollo insisted. “They died quickly and cleanly. I am not Hisoka, Keeper. I am not cruel,” he lied. “I do not enjoy seeing you like this, and I take no pleasure in knowing that every time you see me, your heart breaks a little more. I will not hide from you because I owe you this debt. I refuse to hide my pain, not because I want you to feel guilt, but because I want you to feel vindication. Mast- Keeper, please, I don’t want to cause you any more pain!”

“Lier!” Kurapika snarled. 

“Then order me to tell you the truth,” Chrollo retorted. 

“What good would it do?”

“It would allow you to sleep at night,” Chrollo replied. “Knowing that I’m not going to turn on you and that I don’t wish you ill would waylay the guilt that comes with seeing me suffer. You’re human, Kurapika. Humans were burdened with the curse of empathy when the Gods created us; I don’t want you to suffer with me. In fact, I want the exact opposite.”

“That makes no sense,” Kurapika said, clutching at his head. “None of this makes _sense._ Tell me the truth!” he ordered. “Did you intend for me to die? Do you want me to suffer?”

“I did intend for you to die, yes,” Chrollo admitted. “And I do not want you to suffer. In fact, I want to see you thrive. In a lot of ways, you’re as lost as I am and...” He dropped his gaze, hoping that it would appear as if he were reluctant to continue. “Well, I need you.”

“You think we’re alike?” Kurapika asked, frowning in confusion. “You think...”

“We are both men without families and without homes,” Chrollo explained. “I found a place in Meteor City, but you...” He trailed off and looked around at the empty cabin. “You don’t deserve to be alone.”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be,” Kurapika reminded him.

“I know,” Chrollo said, dropping his gaze again. “Which is why it’s up to me to find you a new one.”

***

“For the record, Hisoka,” Illumi said, wanting to make sure that the man knew what he thought about ‘the plan’. “I think that this is a very bad idea.”

“Understood,” Hisoka said, humming as he inspected the lock on Kurapika’s garden gate. “That’s the seventh time you’ve told me, by the way.”

“And yet we’re still here,” Illumi pointed out.

“Yes,” Hisoka retorted, turning to grin up at his boyfriend as he slid his bungee-gum into the lock. “ _We_ are. You’re free to go at any time.”

“I want to see what Chrollo did with the head,” Illumi grumbled. “It’s most unlike him to be so...sentimental. Something isn’t right.”

“I certainly hope so,” Hisoka purred. “Watching him suffer has been...” He moaned. “Tantalising. But I need to see it for myself.”

Illumi shook his head as he listened to the tumblers in the lock click into place. As far as he could tell, all that Chrollo had done since the head had been dropped off a week ago was to continue to try and seduce the Kurta. He’d seen no evidence of suffering or sorrow from the man; quite the contrary, in fact. Chrollo appeared...content. Hisoka was seeing what he wanted to see, but he couldn’t change that. The man was an adult and free to make his own choices. If he’d learned anything from Killua; it was that, sometimes, people had to make their own mistakes. Hisoka was walking into a trap, but he’d done his duty as his Master: He’d warned him. The rest was up to him to work out. If he were foolish enough to get caught, then he would either learn or die. As his Master, he would reward him if he escaped or bury him if he died. In any event, he would still come out on top, and his family would be protected. If satisfying Hisoka’s desire for domination and pain meant that he could distract him from his goal of eradicating the Spider, then that was what he would do.

The lock clicked open. “I’m sure that Kurapika would have been more than happy to let you in through the front door,” he said, tilting his head and noting the childish glee on Hisoka’s face. The pleasure the man could derive from such simple tasks never failed to amaze him.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Hisoka retorted. “Besides,” he licked his lips. “Kurapika just moved his pet into his bedroom. “If we’re lucky, we might walk in on a free show. I’ve missed hearing Chrollo moan...”

“And if we don’t?” Illumi asked as he led them through the gate.

“Then I’ll get to organise one!” Hisoka enthused. “I owe him for ruining my dress...”

***

“Are you sure?” Chrollo asked, stepping into Kurapika’s personal space. The blonde didn’t move back.

“Yes,” Kurapika replied, balling his fists and nodding his head to reinforce his point. “I said I would, and unlike _some people_ , I don’t break my word.”

“I’m sorry that Killua was called away,” Chrollo said and reached out to stroke his hand down the Kurta’s arm. “I know that you were looking forward to seeing him.” He stepped closer and softened his tone. “How can I help?”

The flush on the Kurta’s cheeks was strangely satisfying. He was almost the polar opposite of Hisoka, and the change of pace had been refreshing. Living with the rotting head of his number seven hadn’t been what he’d call fun, but he’d endured worse for far less reward, and he was sure that Franklin would be satisfied with his final resting place. The Freesias he’d planted on top of him should, at the very least, give his soul a few laughs as well as providing the garden with some much-needed variety. Their fragrance alone was enough to lift the spirits of anyone who went near but the fact that the Padokian’s believed that they were also symbols of innocence and thoughtfulness was an added bonus.

Kurapika shivered. Chrollo had been touching him a lot more lately, and he couldn’t decide if it was him reaching out for comfort through human connection or if...

“Do you...” He felt his blush darken but soldiered on anyway. It wasn’t like anyone was watching, after all. “Do you, y’know...”

Chrollo let his eyes fall to half-lid. “Do I what, Keeper?” 

_You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you?_ Kurapika swallowed. “Do you... _like_ me?”

“Of course I do,” Chrollo said, pretending to miss his point. “You saved my life. How could I not like you?”

“No, no,” Kurapika replied, shaking his head. “No, I mean do you-” 

There was a sudden bang and the backdoor was practically thrown off its hinges. 

“Honeys! I’m home!” Hisoka replied. “I do hope that I’m not interrupting anything important!”

Chrollo forced his face to remain passive. His pet had _impeccable_ timing. Kurapika looked mortified, but that just made it all the better.

Leaning in, he pressed a gentle kiss to the blonde’s cheek. “Yes,” he whispered, hearing the young man gasp in shock. “I do, _like_ you.”

***

“No, I _insist_ ,” Hisoka purred, ushering the two men to the door. “It’s dangerous out there, and we need to make sure that Kurapika’s safe. I heard someone was decapitated in the park last week.”

Illumi frowned. “You decapitated them.”

“Precisely,” Hisoka agreed. “You should make sure that he’s safe. If they let _me_ walk around freely, then who knows who else is out there?”

“But I’m an assassin?” Illumi pointed out. “ _Saving_ people is contrary to what-”

“Yes, yes, we know,” Hisoka interrupted. “But he’s important to your brother, so he’s important to you now. Go; buy yourself something nice and make sure Kurapika remembers how to smile.”

“I can hear you, you know,” Kurapika grumbled. “I’m not a child. I happen to be extremely skilled at-”

“I’m sure you are, sweetie,” Hisoka said, ignoring the glare the Kurta gave him. “But the adults have to talk, and I’m sure I don’t have to remind you about our little arrangement, do I?” Kurapika’s eyes narrowed. “Precisely. Now, off you go. Illumi has my card; get yourself something pretty to go with those lovely eyes of yours.”

Not even Illumi was fast enough to stop the punch that collided with Hisoka’s jaw. If he hadn’t instinctively blocked it with Ken it would have shattered into a thousand pieces. As it was, he was merely thrown across the room, landing with a truly pornographic moan at Chrollo’s feet.

“You should go,” Chrollo said. “If you stay, he’ll want more.”

“An accurate assessment,” Illumi agreed, noting that the Kurta’s eyes had turned red. “Come, Kurapika. I need you to help choose my brother’s Christmas present. I can not risk appearing as if I doubt Killua’s abilities. His latest assignment is hard, but nothing that he can’t handle.”

“Christmas isn’t for another four months!” Kurapika snarled. “You go, I’ll stay here and show Hisoka precisely how _pretty_ my eyes can be!”

Illumi sighed and grabbed the young man by the waist, ignoring the pain in his back when he thumped him and insisted that he put him down. “I can not allow you to harm him. Your contract is contingent upon him living. You will calm down or remain in my arms the whole way into town; the choice is yours.” 

Ignoring the heated look Hisoka was giving him, Illumi nodded to Chrollo. “We will return in a few hours.”

“Understood,” Chrollo replied. _So I have to endure until then?_ “Have a nice trip.”

“See you soon,” Hisoka added, licking his bloodied lips as he got to his feet. “I’ll take _good_ care of your pet while you’re gone.” He laughed when Kurapika redoubled his efforts to free himself and wrapped his arm around Chrollo’s shoulder, pulling him tightly against his side. “Don’t worry, KP, I’m _great_ with animals.”

“LET ME GO!” Kurapika screamed. “He’s not an animal! No! Illumi! NO! He’s not-”

The door slammed shut behind them, and Chrollo was left alone with Hisoka once again. “So, Mistress,” he said, turning in his arms and allowing the grin that had been trying to escape all week to finally break free. “How should we entertain ourselves while they’re gone?”

***

“Mistress!” Chrollo screamed. He knew it was what he wanted to hear. “Mistress, please!”

“Please what, my pet?” Hisoka purred, pressing the button again and watching as Chrollo jerked from the current tearing through him. He’d been surprised to find that Kurapika had kept his toys - Granted, they’d been hidden away in the back of the laundry closet, but there was no accounting for taste.

“Mi-st-ress!” Chrollo howled, trying to think through the pain. “I’m so-rry! I- SOR-RY!” Tears streamed from his eyes, but there was no way he could quench them. Hisoka had him spread-eagled over the kitchen table, stuck fast with his bungee-gum and as naked as the day he was born.

“No, I don’t think you mean that, _Fido_ ,” Hisoka snarled and clicked the dial up a notch. The noise that escaped Chrollo was magnificent but not even close to what he needed. He wanted to see him _break._ “Didn’t anyone tell you that it’s rude to lie? Another few minutes should do it, after all; you’re a _big, strong boy,_ aren’t you?” He materialised a card in his hand and licked along its length. “You can _take it._ ”

***

“Please...” Chrollo begged, wondering how long it had been since Illumi and Kurapika had left and how long he’d have to continue to play into Hisoka’s delusions. Everything hurt. His throat was red-raw, and he’d lost count of the number of times he’d been beaten, but he knew that Hisoka hadn’t had his fill yet. If he was being honest with himself, then he’d had to admit he was having a little fun too, but that mainly came from the fact that Hisoka was buying into his act.

A bare-foot made contact with his stomach, and he curled, reflexively, trying to protect his insides. “Please,” he wheezed. “Hisoka, I’m _sorry._ Please...”

Hisoka sneered. “Dogs don’t _speak._ You’re pathetic! I can’t believe I ever thought about serving a stray like _you._ ”

Biting back his anger, Chrollo closed his eyes. He was so close to getting what he wanted. He whimpered when he was kicked again and looked up. It was clear what he had to do. The only question was; would it be worth giving in now or not? If he let Hisoka have what he desired too soon, then he might not be able to control how fast the lethal magician would escalate things. “Mistr-”

“Bad dog!” Hisoka snarled, slapping Chrollo’s ass so hard that it left an immediate, and violently red, imprint on his skin. Chrollo moaned. “You really are pathetic. You can’t even follow the simplest of orders, can you? Was Illumi right? Should I put you down?”

Chrollo closed his eyes. Hisoka was going all-out; he wanted to humiliate him, but he had no idea how to do it right. He didn’t know him at all, and he didn’t understand that violence wasn’t the way to get through to a man like him. Hisoka didn’t want to see that he was being lied to, though; he wanted to believe that he really was breaking him, and so, that was what he saw. Chrollo felt the knowledge burning in his chest; a light that he could cling to through the pain. He’d won. He could give in now.

“Woof,” he gasped, allowing more tears to fall. He pretended to try to get onto all fours but collapsed at Hisoka’s feet. “Woof...” he choked and felt a hand running through his hair. When his head was tilted back, he looked up into golden eyes that were burning with an all too familiar flame. Hisoka’s smile was wicked. 

_Ah, so they’ll be returning soon. This was what you wanted, was it?_ Chrollo thought. _You wanted Kurapika to see how strong you are; that you can dominate me in a way that he never will. You get off on it, don’t you? You like putting on a show..._

“Good boy,” Hisoka hummed. “Maybe you can learn, after all?”

***

Chrollo was so tight... It had never been like this before. The thrill of power that came with bending the man over the back of a chair and just _taking_ , was intoxicating. Hisoka moaned as he slammed into him again.

Chrollo gasped. 

“You like my cock, don’t you?” Hisoka purred, pulling the man up by his hair until his mouth was directly beside his ear. “You always did like it when I was the one inside you, didn’t you? Kurapika doesn’t know what he’s missing out on, does he? I thought he’d at least take the opportunity to beat you a bit, but no, he just gives you whatever you ask for and-” Chrollo clenched impossibly tightly around him. “Oh, you like to think about him? Is that what you’re doing in your room all day? Are you fucking yourself and imagining it’s his pathetic little cock?”

He laughed when Chrollo tried to turn his head away. “Oh, you are, aren’t you? Was I not good enough for you? Are my eyes not _exotic_ enough for your _refined_ tastes?” He slammed into him again and reached around to grab Chrollo’s dick. He was as hard as a rock. 

“Such a perverted little cock-whore, aren’t you?” he whispered. “You kept that head in your room while it oozed and rotted away so that the _Kurta_ would take you into his bed, didn’t you?” he asked, stroking his cock in time with his thrusts. Chrollo’s only answer was another moan. “Did you fuck it and imagine that Franklin’s mouth was-” He sneered and bit his ex-Master’s earlobe. “ _Kurapika’s._ ” 

Chrollo moaned again. “You filthy fuck, you did, didn’t you? How many diseases has this thing got?” He slapped Chrollo’s cock and the man whimpered, pressing back to impale himself onto Hisoka. 

“Does your precious Kurta know what a whore you are? Does he know how you like it?” Chrollo shook his head, and Hisoka’s grin widened. “Only I do, don’t I? You only let yourself go for me. Only _I_ understand what you _really_ need.” He stroked him again and lapped at the tears falling down Chrollo’s cheeks. “You belong to _me_ now, Danchou. I’ll give you-” He snapped his hips. “ _Exactly_ what you need. You brought out the animal in me, after all. It’s only fair that I return the favour...”

Chrollo clenched again. “You’re close, aren’t you? You _need_ this; I know you do. Don’t worry; I take care of my whores. You aren’t gonna be left hanging...” He wrapped his free arm around his toy’s chest and _squeezed_. Chrollo’s desperate gasp for air was music to his ears. Pre-cum was leaking over his fingers, and Chrollo was shaking. 

“Tell me who owns this cock,” Hisoka demanded, stroking him harshly. 

“You, Mistress!” Chrollo wheezed.

“How long do I own it for?” Hisoka snarled.

“Forever! Always! I’m yours!” Chrollo lied.

“And who owns this ass?”

“You! Always you, Mistress! I’m all yours! MISTRESS!”

***

Illumi checked his phone. They were almost half an hour early, which, if he knew Hisoka at all, meant that they were precisely on time. 

“I wouldn’t open the door if I were you,” he told Kurapika. “Hisoka had a lot to...discuss with Chrollo.”

“Yeah, well, he can talk outside!” Kurapika snapped. “This is _my_ house, and he is _my_ guest!”

“Very well,” Illumi replied, nodding his understanding. “Just be aware that Hisoka’s talks tend to be...intense.”

Kurapika huffed. “Yeah, well, Chrollo’s aren’t, so I wish him luck.”

He pushed the door open.

“MISTRESS!” Chrollo screamed before his airway was blocked by strong hands closing around his neck. He choked, helplessly clawing at Hisoka’s arms as the man slammed into his ass. He was _so close._ One last push was all he’d need to tip him over the edge...

“HISOKA!” Kurapika yelled.

“Filthy whore,” Hisoka whispered and buried himself deep into Chrollo’s ass as he came.

“Fu-” Chrollo gasped, convulsing as his orgasm hit. The last thing he remembered before everything went black was Kurapika’s scarlet eyes charging towards him and an aura so powerful that it filled the room enveloping him. 

Everything was perfect.

***

“You went too far,” Illumi said, watching Hisoka sashay down the street. 

“You wanted me to kill him,” Hisoka pointed out, pirouetting on the spot as he turned to face his lover.

Illumi nodded. “I still do. That is the only logical way to solve your addiction.”

“I’m not an addict,” Hisoka retorted. The anger he’d felt as he’d kicked Chrollo around the room was beginning to resurface, but he couldn’t afford to let it boil over with Illumi. 

“Once an addict, always an addict,” Illumi said, shrugging. “The only way you will ever be free is to rid yourself of the source of your supply.”

“I _did,_ ” Hisoka snarled. “He’s cut off from his Nen. If he even thinks about using it, he’ll die.”

“Which will take the responsibility out of your hands,” Illumi agreed. “It is an elegant, if cowardly, solution.” He saw Hisoka’s eyes narrow. “You wished to see him suffer; I can understand if not fully empathise with that idea. I would rather never see my enemies again than to spend my life fixated on making theirs worse, but I do acknowledge that I am not the average-”

Hisoka charged. Before Illumi had a chance to react, he was slammed into the trunk of the nearest tree and stuck fast with Hisoka’s gum.

“I’m _not_ an addict, and I will _never_ be a _coward!_ ” he growled.

“Then prove it,” Illumi retorted, his voice never wavering from its monotone.

“How?” Hisoka asked. He hadn’t expected Illumi’s challenge; the man wasn’t usually this combative.

Illumi’s eyes widened, and a wicked grin spread across his face. “ _Kill him._ ”

***

“Why did you let him do this to you?” Kurapika asked, wiping at Chrollo’s brow with a damp cloth. Seeing what Hisoka had done to him and the dishonour that it would bring to his name by association had changed everything. Chrollo may have been a murderer, but at least he didn’t toy with his victims.

He’d moved him to the bath after he’d woken up. A cursory inspection had revealed that Hisoka hadn’t broken Chrollo’s skin, but his bruises were already starting to show and there was barely an inch of his body that hadn’t been damaged in some way.

“How could I have stopped him?” Chrollo rasped. He would have killed for some of Machi’s tea.

“You could have... You didn’t have to...” Kurapika began. “Look, I know you can fight. Even without your Nen, you could have-”

“That would have made it worse,” Chrollo said, turning away from Kurapika’s searching gaze.

“How? How would it have-” 

“Hisoka needs an opponent,” Chrollo explained. His throat felt like it had been scraped with shards of glass. “He needs someone to fight. He becomes frustrated if he doesn’t have one, but that’s not as dangerous as fighting back.” He swallowed and imagined the pain was from Hisoka’s fingers, desperately grabbing at the inside of his throat as he slid into his stomach. Dissolving in acid would be a fitting end. “If I fought back, he’d have started to enjoy himself even more, which would mean that he’d lose control and kill me.”

“But you don’t care about-”

Chrollo turned and looked directly at Kurapika for the first time in days. “If he killed me, then you would never get your last set of eyes. Besides, you ordered me to live.”

He watched as the ideas slowly sank in. If he’d played his part right, then Kurapika should... There, there it was.

“You did all this...for me?” Kurapika whispered. “You let him...because you wanted to ensure that I find...”

Chrollo forced his arm to lift out of the water and gingerly cupped the Kurta’s jaw. “Of course. I’d endure far worse if it meant that you’d be reunited with them. I understand the desire for a family and a home, Keeper. I won’t deny you yours. I already said that I had no intention of causing you to suffer. I would relive what Hisoka did to me a thousand times over if it meant seeing you smile.”

Kurapika didn’t need to hear that he’d enjoyed himself, nor that his orgasm had been the most satisfying one he’d had in months. He could train the blonde to fulfil his needs easily enough if that ever became an issue. For now, he needed to ensure that he had an ally that he could count on for when Hisoka made his predictable return.

“But...” Kurapika said, confusion written across his face. “But you...you’ve killed so many people.” He blinked back tears. “My family are all gone. I don’t have anyone, and it’s all because of you.”

Chrollo hung his head and dropped his hand to rest on Kurapika’s shoulder. “Yes,” he said, hoping he appeared appropriately shame-ridden. “I’m sorry. I wish I could change what I did, but I can’t. I stole them from you, and for that, you will have-”

“I don’t want anything from you,” Kurapika interrupted. “You don’t owe me anything. You said it yourself: You can’t bring them back.”

Chrollo stilled. “So what can I do for you?”

“You can _fight_ ,” Kurapika insisted. 

“But how can I?” Chrollo asked, frowning and wincing when he realised that Hisoka had, at some point, given him a black eye.

Watching curiously, he cocked his head as Kurapika got to his feet and held out his hand. When his eyes turned scarlet, Chrollo gasped. The air around the Kurta became electric and a wind that hadn’t existed moments before swelled, filling the small room with an energy Chrollo had never felt before. 

“With your Nen!” Kurapika yelled and _pulled_. 

Chrollo barely managed to contain the howl of pain that tried to escape when the Kurta’s Judgement Chain was ripped from his chest. He saw the ghost of the boy’s Nen speed back into his outstretched hand, and watched as the power that had so efficiently sealed his own, disappeared into its owner. 

He was free.

“Kurapika, I-” he stammered. He couldn’t risk the Kurta changing his mind.

“No,” Kurapika said and placed his finger over Chrollo’s mouth. He was amazed to find that his lips were soft to the touch. “We’re even. You don’t owe me anything anymore. You’re free to fight him. If you _choose_ to help me find the eyes, then I’ll stay with you until the end. That can be your penance, but I’m not your Keeper anymore.”

Chrollo surged forward and pulled Kurapika towards him, pressing their lips together in an entirely one-sided, but nonetheless passionate kiss. Kurapika was everything he’d hoped he’d be and more.

Pulling back, he whispered, “Yes,” and brushed his fingers over the delicate blush on the young man’s cheeks. “Together.”

He’d done it. Hisoka was a dead man walking.

“Together,” Kurapika echoed. _I’m sorry, Mum._ The kiss shouldn’t have felt so good. “We’ll find them together.”

  
  



	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dirtiest F-word of them all, is _Feelings_.

Chrollo turned when he heard footsteps approaching across the grass. He'd been admiring the way the sunset had turned the burned oranges and reds of Franklin's Freesias into a distinctly darker copper and crimson. It contrasted wonderfully with the sweet, fruity smell they were giving off. 

During the day, they were never without a bee or two, weaving their merry way through the flowers, collecting the plant's rich, energy-filled nectar. They gave freely so that in return, the bees would help them thrive. Most of the hive might be sterile, but that didn't mean that the workers were no longer capable of bringing life. Each warrior allowed herself to be coated in a dusting of pollen that ensured the prosperity of every plant she visited - and in turn, the longevity of her hive remained intact. It was an incredibly efficient arrangement and one that Chrollo had long admired. Everything was interconnected, and everyone had their place. The individual might not matter, but the whole relied on the system to survive. He'd met very few people who understood the natural order of the world, but Franklin had, and seeing the life that had come from his passing never failed to bring a smile to Chrollo's face.

"Do I have to sweep my house for bugs?" Kurapika asked, ignoring the fact that Chrollo had spent the last two hours watching over the grave of the man he claimed didn't matter to him. Now was the time to pick his battles and their security trumped pointing out the fact that Chrollo had feelings. He'd realise that in his own time, and the satisfaction that would come from seeing it would be worth the frustration.

Chrollo tilted his head. "That would depend upon why you came to that conclusion," he said, wondering how Kurapika had figured out what Hisoka had done in such a short space of time. "And whether insects bother you."

Kurapika raised his brow. "I've never been a fan of spiders, but I can also spot a pattern when I see one, and you haven't used your Nen inside ever since you healed your wounds in the bathroom. You don't spar with me inside either, which makes me think that you've got something to hide. You aren't keeping secrets from _me_ , so," he spread his arms wide. "Who else would you want to hide from? Humm?"

 _Clever boy_ , Chrollo thought and smiled when Kurapika mimicked his head tilt. "Hisoka was rather talkative," he explained, deciding to gloss over the fact that spiders were arachnids, not insects. "His comments led me to believe that he could see what we were doing in the main room of the house."

"And you were going to tell me this, when?" Kurapika asked, resting his hands on his hips.

Chrollo's grin widened. "I was giving you until the end of the week to realise, but I see that I underestimated you again. Well done, it's only been two days."

Kurapika stepped closer and watched as Chrollo's eyes subtly darkened. If he were Hisoka, he'd have said that he was looking for a fight, but as it was...

He shot his chain out from his middle finger and watched as it invisibly wrapped around Chrollo's body. _He'd_ talked to Hisoka too after Chrollo had passed out - Illumi as well - and they'd both said the same thing. Now was as good a time as any to put their theories to the test. If he was going to be working with his former enemy, then the least he should do is try to understand him. What Hisoka had done had been beyond shameful, but if there was any truth to his words, he needed to know.

Closing his fist, he pulled and removed his In from the chain. Chrollo's surprised gasp as he staggered forwards was unexpected but nonetheless satisfying to hear. They were close enough that Kurapika could feel the heat from Chrollo's bare chest; it felt like a furnace against the chill of the dusk air.

"You were going to wait a week?" he said, noting with interest that the grey of Chrollo's irises had almost entirely given way to the black of his pupils. _Do you really like it? Are you really as perverted as Hisoka said?_

"I had to find out how strong your deductive reasoning skills were," Chrollo countered, subtly flexing to see how strong the chain was this time. It held fast. "If I'm going to be working with you, then I have to know that you can keep up."

"And if we're going to be working together," Kurapika said, tugging Chrollo closer to him and noting the way his breath hitched with the movement. "Then I need to trust that you're going to have my back." Their faces were inches apart, and Chrollo's excitement was impossible to ignore. "If you keep things from me," he warned as an idea surfaced from the back of his mind. He didn't expect it to work, but it was worth a try. "Then I'll have to punish you."

Chrollo licked his lips. "You are _full_ of surprises, aren't you?" His voice was a low, silky purr. 

Ever since he'd released him from his binding, Chrollo had noticed that Kurapika had been...different. The wild look of panic in his eyes after Hisoka had charged him with being his jailer had gone and had been replaced with... He licked his lips again, remembering the flustered look his kiss had left, falling away from the boy's face when he'd watched him summon Bandit's Secret and heal his wounds. He hadn't bothered to hide his aura, and that had, to his surprise, appeared to calm the Kurta even more.

It had taken him a while, but in the end, he'd figured out why. "Well, I'm at your mercy now," he crooned, allowing the tension between them to rise. "What do you intend to do with me this time?"

Kurapika raised his brow. "Hisoka was right," he said. "You really are as perverted as he is, aren't you?"

To Chrollo's immense surprise, his reaction was almost immediate. "Ah, I see," he replied, shutting down and not bothering to hide his disappointment. The mention of Hisoka had left a bitter taste in his mouth, and the fact that Kurapika was still dancing to the man's strings annoyed him more than it should. "Then, I suppose, I'm all yours."

Kurapika watched as the light visibly faded from Chrollo's eyes. _What did I do wrong?_ "But I thought... He said..."

"I don't want him," Chrollo snapped, stepping away as the chains fell from his body. 

"Oh," Kurapika said, moving aside when Chrollo set off for the house. The man's disappointment had been real, which meant that what Illumi had told him when he'd taken him aside was also... "He thinks you do," he added, trying to distract himself from the butterflies that had taken flight in his stomach.

"I know," Chrollo replied, hating the leaden disappointment in his voice. Closing his eyes, he took a calming breath and allowed the door to close behind him.

***

A kitten wove between Illumi's feet, and he smiled. It was becoming quite accomplished at predicting where he would tread and angling its body in just the right way to cause him to have to change direction or fall flat on his face. Snowflake would be an accomplished assassin in no time.

"How are things progressing?" he asked Hisoka. The man hadn't moved from the television all day.

"I don't know," Hisoka grumbled. "They keep going outside. Oh, no, wait, Chrollo's come in again. Ooh, he looks sad. I like that!"

Illumi studied the screen. For once, he had to agree with Hisoka's assessment. Chrollo did look genuinely disappointed. "I wonder what happened to cause him such distress?"

"Well," Hisoka purred, stretching his arm over the back of the seat. "Why don't you join me and we can find out together?"

Illumi looked at the tray of sandwiches in his hand. He had hoped that he'd be able to tempt him away from the living room, but it appeared that as far as Hisoka was concerned, no plan would survive the battlefield. 

He sat down and felt a warm arm wrap around his shoulder. When he allowed himself to be pulled against Hisoka's chest, he was curious to note that his heart rate sped up. He'd read about the sensation described as 'anticipation', but he'd never experienced it in a context like this before. It was...pleasant. 

Hisoka plucked the tray from Illumi's hands and placed it down on the coffee table, gently brushing Snowflake's curious nose aside. "Those aren't for you," he chided and chuckled when the kitten meeped in response. "Now, now, remember our arrangement. I don't eat your food, and you don't eat mine. Besides, you don't like lettuce."

"How do you know?" Illumi asked. "Has she tried it?"

"Her brother did. It wasn't pretty," Hisoka chuckled. He relaxed in the seat and smoothed his hand through Illumi's long hair. "She should learn by example."

A dark grey head poked up from the other side of the table. "And he should learn from experience."

***

"I don't understand you," Kurapika said, striding back into his living room. Chrollo was sitting on the sofa, and he stared down at him as he flipped through his latest copy of Muscle Bound Men. This conversation was long overdue, but he'd hoped to be able to put it off a little longer. He knew that Chrollo had been testing him; teasing and poking at him to find his weak points, but he'd also been observing him in return. His only problem was that, despite all logic and contrary to everything, his mind was telling him, his heart had liked what it saw.

"You say you want me," he told him. "But then you let Hisoka think that you want him too. Which is it?"

"Why do you care?" Chrollo asked, turning another page and forcing himself to stare at the diamond that was being placed around the model's neck. The phone Kurapika had handed him this morning felt heavy in his pocket, but it meant that he could ask Feitan to find out if it was real or not.

"What do you mean, why do I care? I have to work with you!" Kurapika spluttered, unsure if Chrollo was trying to say what he thought he was. He'd discovered that with him at least, it was better to play the buffoon than to appear overconfident.

"So?" Chrollo replied, finally looking up from the page. "Why would my feelings affect that?"

"I have to be able to trust you, Chrollo," Kurapika insisted. "We've been through this. It's not like I can-"

Chrollo raised his brow and cut him off before he had a chance to start that argument up again. "And what, precisely, has led you to believe that I'm lying _this time_?" 

"Well, Hisoka thinks that you-"

"Hisoka's a grown man," Chrollo growled. "Who sees the world through his own, extremely unique, lens." He forced himself to calm and sat back, feeling the plush sofa cushions against his back and using them to remind himself who he was dealing with. The Kurta didn't know Hisoka as he did. 

"It is not my responsibility to correct his misconceptions," he continued, watching Kurapika visibly calm now that he'd softened his tone. "He's allowed to believe and think as he likes, just as you are free to think and do the same, even if it's about me. I'm not here to be babysat, nor am I here to become the babysitter. I owe you a debt of gratitude, which I _will_ repay, and I owe my Troupe Hisoka's head. The fact that I find you both attractive and, quite frankly, irrationally alluring, is _my_ problem, not yours. As you've repeatedly pointed out, you're not my Keeper anymore. You set yourself free, Kurapika. Why would you want to-"

Chrollo stopped when the realisation hit, and tilted his head. Had his plan worked this quickly? "Unless..." He allowed his eyes to roam over the blonde's body and smiled when he saw the flush reappear on his cheeks. "Kurapika, do you like me too?"

***

"What do you think they're talking about?" Hisoka asked, unwrapping a chocolate and dropping it into Illumi's open mouth. He hadn't expected his boyfriend to stay with him as he watched the silent movie play out and tried to guess what his two pawns were saying to each other, but he had. It was...nice. Calm. He might even go as far as to describe it as relaxing.

"Sex," Illumi said, stroking Harriet's back and contemplating the taste in his mouth. He decided that it was a white chocolate truffle. "Nothing else makes the Kurta turn that shade of pink. I remember when I talked with Gon and Killua about taking appropriate precautions. Kurapika was pretending that he couldn't hear, but his ears turned that exact shade of red when I began to explain how same-sex relationships differed from opposite-sex ones. Later, I found out that a copy of Gon's notes had made its way to Leorio. He had, apparently, added several helpful diagrams."

"Really?" Hisoka purred. "Do you think he still has them? Wait...does that mean that Kurapika hasn't..."

"It is doubtful," Illumi agreed. "Someone so single-minded rarely has the time nor the inclination to explore their sexuality. Although the fact that he reacted violently towards you, rather than, as I had expected, shocked, would indicate that he has some tolerance towards sexual situations."

Hisoka hummed. "Umm, I do love it when you talk dirty to me." He laughed when Illumi looked up at him in confusion. "So you think he's done the nasty before?" he asked instead.

"Nasty?" Illumi asked. 

"He's had sex before," Hisoka elaborated.

"Perhaps," Illumi agreed, turning back to the screen and watching Kurapika begin to pace. "He worked for the Mafia, so he will have, at the very least, spent a lot of time around prostitutes. Killua thinks that he tried to seduce Leorio, but I don't know if he succeeded. That man has the self-awareness of a-"

“Zoldyck?” Hisoka teased.

"Rock," Illumi corrected. "Contrary to popular belief, _Hisoka_ , Zoldycks are extremely self-aware. You can not control that which you do not understand."

Hisoka laughed and stroked Illumi's hair. "I think our dear Kurta is finding that out the hard way."

"Indeed," Illumi hummed, nuzzling against Hisoka's hand. "I do believe he is."

***

"It's OK," Chrollo said, wondering if he should try to reach out and touch the young man or not. "I understand. I'm not exactly the first person you'd think of if you were going to describe your ideal partner."

"You killed my family," Kurapika repeated. The line felt like a broken record by now, but it was still the truth. He had to confront it before he could move past it. The fact that he even wanted to was the part that he hadn't been able to understand. But the reality was that the man in front of him had been able to simultaneously challenge and comfort him in ways that no one else could. He'd seen parts of him that even Leorio had stared right through and he understood his pain like no other _ever_ would.

"Yes, I expected that to be a barrier," Chrollo admitted, and Kurapika snapped back to the present. "Which is why I was keeping my feelings to myself."

Kurapika wanted to roll his eyes. "Well, you did a good job of that, didn't you?"

"You were the one who asked," Chrollo pointed out. "I had to obey. Perhaps, when you next force me into Zetsu, you should set the clauses yourself and _not_ listen to Hisoka's suggestions."

"He said that you'd-" Kurapika began but shook his head. "No, no, you aren't gonna distract me." 

He was _having_ this talk. Chrollo wasn't going to play with him anymore. Actions had consequences, and it was time for Chrollo to face his. He met the man's gaze, took a deep breath, and said, "I refuse to play second-fiddle to Hisoka."

Chrollo froze. The page he was turning dropped from his hand to reveal a topless brunette hugging a sheepdog. Six women were 'trapped' in a pen behind him. 

"You're...you? Are you _seriously_ considering..." he began, shocked to find that he'd had a genuinely visceral reaction to Kurapika's words. "But..." It didn't make sense. Yes, he'd been trying to get the boy into bed, but he hadn't intended to start a _relationship_ with him. Why would he even want that?

"But what?" Kurapika challenged. "Am I not freaky enough for you? What can Hisoka do that I can't?"

Chrollo stared. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He wasn't prepared for this. "Nothing." He shook his head. "No, I didn't mean..." He got to his feet. "My apologies. I never intended to mislead-"

Kurapika's hand closed around his arm. He tried to shrug him away, but the Kurta held fast. 

"Now who's the coward?" Kurapika growled. "I thought that you weren't going to lie. You said that you wanted me. You said-"

Chrollo's head whipped around. "I never expected you to want me back." The words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to stop them, but he managed to school his features in time to prevent his shock from showing. He couldn't understand why he was behaving so irrationally.

"Then perhaps you should have thought of that before you flirted with me," Kurapika snarled and pulled. Chrollo didn't resist him, but the look of confusion on the man's face was a sight to behold. "You wanted to know why I should care about how you feel?" he whispered. "Well, perhaps you should remember that your actions affect other people."

This time, it was Chrollo's turn to stare blankly at him and Chrollo who tried to back away in bewilderment. The gratifying thrill of accomplishment and power that ran up Kurapika's spine caused a wicked smile to spread across his face. He could see why Hisoka enjoyed it so much. Chrollo really was the perfect challenge.

He slid his free hand up the man's arm and took a deep breath. He had to know for sure. Whenever he'd messaged Killua about it, he'd been careful not to include the name of the man he'd been developing 'feelings' for, not that Killua had bothered to ask. But his reply had always been the same: _Just kiss him and see what happens. It's not like he's married._

He was pretty sure that Killua thought he was talking about Leorio, but that ship had long since sailed. They'd had fun together but after Killua and Gon had left for Greed Island... Life had gotten in the way. They'd decided that they had to focus on other things and that had been that. They'd gone their separate ways; no hearts had been broken, and their friendship was still as solid as ever.

What would he think of him now, he wondered? The man he'd dedicated his life to destroying was staring at him as if he were a stunned kitten and all he could think about was how soft his lips had felt when they'd pressed against his in the bathroom...

 _Just kiss him, already._ It sounded like Killua's voice, but the sentiment was entirely his own. Leaning forward, Kurapika held Chrollo fast and licked at his top lip. "You're too good for Hisoka," he breathed and went in for the kiss. If he were going to do this, it would be on _his_ terms.

***

"Did he- No! No, he _can't_ do that!" Hisoka snarled. Three cats shot out of the room. "No! Chrollo's _mine!_ He can't have him!"

Illumi rolled his eyes. "You were complaining about the lack of 'entertainment' last week. You really do need to make up your mind, Hisoka."

"And you need to learn how to tell the difference between a kiss and a _kiss,"_ Hisoka snapped. "Kurapika just _kissed_ him! He _kissed_ him!" 

Illumi stared blankly.

"He should want to kill him, not date him!" Hisoka roared. 

"The two aren't mutually exclusive desires," Illumi pointed out. 

"They are for _him_. How did Chrollo do it? What have they been up to in that garden?" Hisoka snarled. "They barely speak a word to each other for _weeks_ , and now _this?_ No, there has to be more to it. We missed something." 

He yanked his Master from the chair and pulled their clothes towards them with his bungee-gum. "We need to pay Chrollo another visit. Do you happen to know anyone nearby that has a spare set of Kurta eyes?"

"The Mayor of the town over has two-" Illumi began.

" _Fabulous_ ," Hisoka purred, flitting from anger to excitement as a new plan formed in his mind. "I hereby contract you to take the Kurta and retrieve the eyes. You can have fun and kill anyone who tries to stop you. Unless it's Chrollo or Kurapika, of course."

"Of course," Illumi echoed, wondering if Hisoka realised the trap he was walking into. He watched as, on the screen, the Kurta stared directly at the camera and smiled. "How long will you need?"

Hisoka licked his lips and looked at the clock. "A few hours should do nicely."

"You expect him to break so quickly?" Illumi asked.

"No," Hisoka replied and pulled his boyfriend in for another kiss. "But I'll have worked up enough of an appetite to _ravish_ you after. Chrollo's the _perfect_ starter."

 _Addict_ , Illumi thought. _You've reached bargaining already. How long will it be before you can let him go? Will this be the lesson that finally manages to get through to you? Was Kurapika the key all along?_

***

"Kurapika, you don't want-" Chrollo gasped. The Kurta had kissed him a second time, then a third, moaning as he'd yanked on his hair and dragging him back down onto the sofa. They'd lost themselves in each other's arms, and it had been intoxicating. 

Chrollo felt as if his world were turning upside down. No amount of planning could have prepared him for how he felt now. He'd imagined the moment Kurapika would kiss him back far too many times before, but never once had he thought that it would feel like this.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me what I do and do not want," Kurapika growled, dragging Chrollo forwards until their bodies were pressed together. He pointedly ground his crotch against him. "I'm an _adult_ , remember? I can make my own choices."

"And your own mistakes," Chrollo moaned. It didn't matter how good it felt; he had to make him understand. "I'm not-"

"I know who and what you are," Kurapika interjected. "I'd wager that I know you even better than Hisoka does. I've _lived_ with you for over a month. Did you really think that you could hide all the sideways glances and secret sneers from me? Did you _honestly_ believe that I wouldn't notice the way you winced every time I gave you an order or showed you the slightest amount of kindness? Did you really believe that I was _that_ stupid?"

Chrollo frowned. "Not stupid, no."

"I had to know how far you'd push," Kurapika explained, stroking the back of Chrollo's neck. "I had to find out what the man-" He glanced at the door when he thought he heard footsteps outside, but shook his head. "What you'd be willing to do if you had power over me. I had to let you think that-"

"My apologies for interrupting," Illumi said, opening the door and making sure that Hisoka was still held fast to the side of the house. He hadn't managed to pull the needles from his hands yet. 

Ignoring the position the two men on the couch were in, he continued, "But we've had a breakthrough as far as the search for the scarlet eyes goes, and I thought that Kurapika might be interested in accompanying me when I go to retrieve them. I believe that we have the potential to collect two sets," he added when the Kurta didn't immediately stand up. "I shall be outside, but I will leave in ten minutes if you do not join me."

"Go," Chrollo whispered, knowing what was going to come next. The door closed and Illumi left them in silence. "Go; I'll be here when you come back. This is why you agreed to-"

"I know," Kurapika said. His eyes were bright red. "But if Illumi's trying to separate us then Hisoka has to be nearby. The timing isn't a coincidence."

Chrollo smirked and stroked Kurapika's cheek. "I know. Don't worry about him. I can handle Hisoka."

Kurapika narrowed his eyes. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"He needs to understand his place. Hisoka needs rules, boundaries and limitations. Without them, he's like a lost child; he has no impulse control. I thought that I could give him that; that I wanted to give him a place to belong, a home, a family..." He stared into Kurapika's bottomless eyes. "But that was before..."

"You get one free pass," Kurapika whispered. "Make up your mind by the time I come back. This is your second chance. Make it count. If you're gone when I come home, then I'll assume that you chose Hisoka, and I won't hesitate to kill you both. I'll wipe out every last Spider and fulfil my mission. Stay and-"

"Yeah," Chrollo agreed. He didn't want to hear how he was going to end that line. But the boy was right; he had to be sure. Actions did have consequences and emotions were notoriously deceptive. He couldn't afford to allow himself to be swayed by his libido. The future of his Troupe and Meteor City depended upon what he did next. 

"Go, get your eyes," he said. He was surprised to hear the silken note to his voice.

"I always do," Kurapika replied. "Make sure that Hisoka gets the message."

"I always do," Chrollo chuckled. _I just have to figure out what the message I want to send him is. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I wasn't supposed to want-_ He smiled and nudged Kurapika towards the door. "Go. I'll deal with Hisoka."

***

Kurapika barely blinked when he saw Hisoka sitting on his porch, rubbing at his hands and staring at Illumi with what was, for him, was a dreamy expression. There were two puncture marks in the wall that would correlate directly to where Hisoka's hands would have been if they were situated on either side of his head.

Illumi had crucified him to keep him in place, and Hisoka was looking at him like _that_?

"Good luck," he told him and saw Hisoka raise his brow. "I know that you think that Chrollo's the man you want, but he isn't." He could have sworn that he saw Illumi's mouth flicker into a split second smile. "He's not-"

"You know, it's cute when you try to think for yourself, it really is," Hisoka drawled. "But I'm afraid that the adults need to chat again. We've kept our side of the bargain; now it's time for you to keep yours. Go fetch your precious eyes, pup, and don't worry; Illumi will keep you safe."

"He contracted me to do so," Illumi added, spotting the thinning of the Kurta's lips and deciding to step in before Hisoka could start another fight. "I'm quite looking forward to it, actually. I'm rarely hired to keep someone alive."

"Glad I could be the change of pace you need," Kurapika muttered, but didn't take his eyes off Hisoka. "I mean it, Hisoka. He's not meant for you, but if you want him, then he's all yours. He's inside."

Hisoka sneered. "And who, exactly, do you think he's meant for?"

Kurapika felt a warm certainty settle in his stomach. Hisoka really didn't understand. The knowledge was strangely soothing. "That's not for me to decide."

***

"You understand too, don't you?" Kurapika asked Illumi as they made their way through the dense forest that lay between the two towns. "You know that they're wrong for each other."

"I do," Illumi agreed. "But as you so succinctly put it; that is not something that I can decide for them. They have to work it out between themselves." He was gratified to see the Kurta nod his agreement. "But I do have one question to ask you before we continue. How you answer will not affect the outcome of this mission. Hisoka has separately contracted me to ensure you receive your eyes. However, it will affect our working relationship in the future."

Kurapika held his breath. This couldn't be anything good.

"You wished Hisoka good luck," Illumi said, deciding that the lack of objection from the Kurta was as good as consent. "The only reason that I can see for him needing any at all is if you returned Chrollo's power to him. Is that the case?"

 _Shit. Oh, God, I did. I wished him luck! Why didn't Illumi say anything at the time? Did Hisoka realise? Is that why he didn't say anything? What's he going to do? I didn't warn Chrollo! No, calm down. He can handle it. He's strong._ **_Really_ ** _strong. Breathe. He can handle Hisoka; I have to handle Illumi._

Looking up at the Zoldyck, Kurapika nodded. "Yes," he agreed. "I did."

"Poetic," Illumi said, clasping his hands behind his back. "I told Hisoka that he'd taken it too far, but he didn't heed my warning. I look forward to seeing the result of your decision." Looking down at the blonde, he flashed him a smile. "You keep life interesting, that's for sure. Now, have you heard from Killua lately?"

***

Chrollo slid the phone back into his pocket as the door opened. Hopefully, Feitan would get his message in time. Hisoka looked as if whatever Kurapika had said to him outside had royally pissed him off, and that suited him just fine.

"Fido," Hisoka sneered.

"Mistress," Chrollo replied. He wasn't in the mood to pull his punches either. Hisoka had stolen his moment.

"You've been a bad dog," Hisoka said, stalking across the room. He smirked when Chrollo began to back away. "Kurapika's _mine_. I've been cultivating that particular fruit ever since the exam. You need to learn to keep your dirty paws off what doesn't belong to you." There'd be time to talk to Kurapika after he'd had his fun. The night was young and he'd barely gotten started; his toys needed to learn their place.

Chrollo circled the sofa and continued to back away, leading Hisoka towards the garden door. He wasn't going to let Illumi have the satisfaction of watching when he took Hisoka's Nen from him this time. "Kurapika doesn't belong to anyone," he replied. "He's a free man."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong," Hisoka crooned, noting Chrollo's trajectory with interest. "We have a deal, you see, and he's too honourable to break it. Now, tell me, how did you convince the idiot to kiss you? What did you promise him? If you're a good boy and tell me the truth, then I might even let you suck on my cock before I-" He tilted his head when Chrollo opened the back door and stepped out into the garden. "Danchou, I always thought you enjoyed putting on a show. You prepared an entire concert for me, after all. Or do you prefer it outside? Is that why you had me screaming across the lake?"

The decking felt wonderful against his bare feet, and Chrollo knew that the grass would feel even better. "Some things are better kept private," he countered, ignoring the provocation. Licking his lips, he inwardly delighted when he saw Hisoka's eyes flick to the movement. "Besides, I don't want the Kurta to see."

Hisoka sneered. "We can't have him realising how twisted you really are, can we?"

"Exactly," Chrollo lied.

Hisoka had been right about one thing; Kurapika was, indeed, too honourable to break a deal. But the problem was that, as far as his Kurta was concerned, Hisoka had already broken it. He'd forgotten Kurapika's warning not to hurt him and allowed his desire to cloud his judgement. Hisoka's lust for power would always be his weakness, and it was why, Chrollo realised, he'd always beat him. 

Despite what his Troupe - amongst many others - had said, to him, Hisoka had always been painfully predictable. Backstabbing and excess were simply part of his nature. Strength would always be what he craved, and he would do whatever it took to be in its presence. Hisoka's problem was that he hadn't figured out that the only sustainable way for him to be around strength was to submit to it.

He remembered the look on Illumi's face before he'd left. Or had he?

"I'm sure Illumi would agree," he said, feeling the smooth transition of decking to grass as he stepped backwards. "I can't imagine a Zoldyck would enjoy letting the world see what he does to you-" The slap around the face was gratifyingly painful, but not enough to force him out of Zetsu just yet. That could wait until he'd reached Franklin's grave.

"Don't you bring him into this! This is between the two of us!" Hisoka snarled. "How dare you suggest that-"

"You were the one who introduced outside parties into the discussion," Chrollo corrected, licking at his split lip. "I was merely pointing out that we both have lovers."

_"Make up your mind by the time I come back. This is your second chance. Make it count."_

"You're fucking him?" Hisoka snarled, stepping forward. "Since when did the Kurta let a Spider stick it's cock up his-"

"So presumptuous, Mistress," Chrollo interrupted, trying to ignore the spike of desire that had sparked at the suggestion. "I thought that you knew what I liked." 

He took another step back. The Koi pond was to his right, and he had to fight the memories that threatened to distract him. There had been too many night's he'd sat on that bench and felt the warmth of his Kurta's body as he'd silently joined him. Would that change if he agreed to Kurapika's terms?

"Oh," Hisoka purred, shooting his bungee-gum from his fingers and attaching it to Chrollo's jacket. "I do." He pulled and delighted when he watched Chrollo stumble. He was going to enjoy this. He stroked his hand down Chrollo's bare chest. "I know exactly what you like."

Chrollo shifted and looked up into Hisoka's golden eyes. The man's pants were already tenting, but he felt nothing. Had he really changed so dramatically because of a few kisses? He'd been willing to give the man a home; for once in his life; he could have belonged. But Hisoka hadn't wanted that, had he? He'd never wanted to belong to him. The thrill for Hisoka was the chase, and the thrill for Chrollo had come from out-smarting him. 

He remembered the power of Kurapika's chains and shuddered. Hisoka hummed in satisfaction. Kurapika could bind him. He could control him, and he'd have to obey... 

"Show me," he whispered, leaning into Hisoka's touch. "Show me how well you know me, Mistress."

_Show me why I should choose you._

***

Chrollo choked on Hisoka's cock, but his heart wasn't in it. His eyes were watering, but his mind was lost, imagining what Kurapika would taste like. Imagining how it would feel to be genuinely helpless and unable to resist as he was forced to open wide and... He moaned again, and Hisoka came. 

"Such a cock-hungry whore," Hisoka teased, crooning the words as if they were the highest praise. He pulled Chrollo's head back by the hair and stared down at him. Drool was dripping from his mouth, but his pet hadn't once moved his hands from behind his back. He hadn't even needed to bind them with his gum. "I told you that I knew what you liked," he hummed and stroked his bruised cheek. "I know you."

_No, you really don't._

Hisoka had stripped him and kicked him around the garden as if he were as light as a ball, then beaten him black and blue, but Chrollo had felt nothing. The old thrill of being around the magician had gone, and he needed it back. He couldn't keep thinking about the Kurta. Kurapika's sapphire eyes were haunting him, and if he kept imagining running his hands through his thick blonde hair, then he'd have to let Hisoka smack him again. He wasn't that kind of man. He had to do something to rectify the situation.

He nuzzled Hisoka's hand until the man dropped into a crouch and smiled at him. They were directly beside the Freesias. "Mistress," he whispered, clasping his hand and leaning in. The taste of Hisoka's cum was lingering in his mouth, and he licked at Hisoka's lips to see what he'd do. When he moaned in delight, he knew he had him. 

"You should have killed me when you had the chance," he whispered and summoned his book.

He watched with glee as his toy tried in vain to pull away before his Nen was sealed entirely, but he held him fast. The familiar thrill of power returned, and he grinned wickedly up at him. 

"Kurapika is honourable to his very core, my pet, but you broke the deal first. He told you not to damage me," he explained as he allowed his Nen to rise to the surface of his skin and stroked Hisoka's cheek. "He couldn't abide the idea of me not being able to fight back, not after what you did." Hisoka groaned, but his eyes were alight with a fire Chrollo hadn't seen in months. He grinned. "You were right, my sweet; I've missed this."

***

Hisoka was seething. He could barely think. He'd had no time to react; he hadn't expected... "Chrollo!" he cried and felt shame coil in his stomach. He didn't want to imagine what Illumi would think of him now. Chrollo wasn't even doing anything special; he was just stroking his leg, but he was panting as if he were the bitch in heat.

"Good boy," Chrollo cooed, feeding him more Nen. It amused him to no end that Hisoka hadn't ever tried to do this to him.

_You really don't get me, do you? What did I ever see in you?_

"I-" Hisoka gasped. "I'm not- You're not- I won't-"

"Oh, but you _will_ , Hisoka, we both know that you will," Chrollo soothed, trailing his fingers along the outline of his pet's muscular thighs and up towards his crotch. He was already hard. "You'll say it; your bodies already submitted. How long did you tell Illumi to keep my Kurta away? How long did you intend to play with me for?"

"Two," Hisoka panted, screwing his eyes shut as another breathless moan escaped his lips. "Two hours." He didn't want to think what he'd be like by the time they came back. He couldn't let Illumi see him like this. He'd been right about everything. He'd pushed too far. He'd forced Kurapika's hand, and he'd reaped his reward. 

He was an addict. 

"Kill me," Hisoka moaned, realising that he'd subconsciously orchestrated every step of his own downfall. "You win. End it."

"No," Chrollo snarled, allowing his anger to feed into his Nen and delighting in the scream that tore from Hisoka's throat. "This isn't over until _I_ say it is. You had your fun; now it's time for me to have mine. It's your turn to scream for _me_."

***

Hisoka did his best to remember to breathe and stared up at the sparkling night sky. The clouds shifted, and Chrollo's words rang in his ears: _"You should have killed me when you had the chance."_

How long had it been? He'd expected sex, but all Chrollo had done was feed his Nen into him until he couldn't tell which way was up. He'd begged, he'd panted and, out of sheer desperation, even cried, but nothing had worked. He'd been right; Chrollo had wanted to put on a show. His problem was that he'd wanted Hisoka to be the one on display.

He'd have to work harder if he wanted to end it before Illumi could see his shame.

 _Think,_ he told himself. _Think. What can you use against him? Ignore your body. That's lost. What does he want above everything else?_ He writhed when Chrollo wrapped his hand around his balls. The feeling was nowhere near as all-consuming as when Illumi had done it, and it didn't come close to the electric desire that sang through him when he used his needles on him. _You aren't my Master. I'll never submit. Illumi's the only one who-_

Chrollo _pulled_ , and Hisoka lost himself to the pain for a moment. He couldn't deny that the man knew what he was doing, but it didn't feel the same. Even after all the Nen, something wasn't right, and as the shifting clouds morphed, dissipating into wisps that became long, flowing locks, he thought he knew why.

He closed his eyes again. Chrollo could never be his Master because that spot had already been taken...and he'd failed him. He was weak; he didn't deserve to live.

 _A challenge._ That was what Chrollo was. _That_ was what he wanted.

Opening his eyes, he met Chrollo's steely gaze. "You think?" he rasped. "How about...we play...a little game?"

***

"Chrollo!" Kurapika demanded, stunned to find him holding a knife to Hisoka's throat. "What do you think you're doing!"

"Putting an _animal_ out of its misery," Chrollo snarled, feeling Hisoka's pulse race beneath his fingers as he yanked his head back. 

"Hisoka isn't an animal! He's an ass, but that's his problem to fix, not yours!" Kurapika snapped.

"Coward," Hisoka gasped. He still had time. Illumi wasn't here yet. "You're letting a child tell you what to do? Do it! Do it or I'll-"

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to end that sentence," Illumi interjected, cocking his head as he took in the scene. Both men were naked, and it was clear that each had made numerous attempts to subdue, if not outright murder the other. But there was a desperation in Hisoka's eyes that he found particularly disquieting.

Before he had the chance to say anything else, however, the Kurta surged forwards. "Chrollo, if anything you _ever_ said to me was true," he snarled. There was real power in his aura, and Illumi stood aside to watch curiously as the young man straightened his arm in readiness to cast his chain. "Then you _won't_ do that. I will _not_ allow you to end him like this."

"You said that I had to choose," Chrollo replied, pressing the tip of his blade against Hisoka's skin and sneering when the man moaned in delight.

"And this is your answer?" Kurapika snapped. "More needless death?"

"You didn't hear what he said that he wanted to do to you," Chrollo retorted. Hisoka's descriptions would have put Feitan to shame. He'd only held out this long because he'd wanted Kurapika to see. He'd needed him to understand that he'd decided; that he _didn't_ want Hisoka.

"I don't care if he told you that he wants to wrap me in fairy lights and stick me on top of a tree!" Kurapika yelled. "This is _not_ how Hisoka Morow is going to die!"

"OK, I'm taking back...what I said earlier," Hisoka gasped. "I wanna do that to-"

"Silence!" Illumi roared and flooded the garden with his aura. It was time to put an end to such childishness once and for all. "Hisoka is _mine_." 

He'd expected to hear Hisoka howl in pain. He'd reacted so violently to his aura in the past that he'd counted on it to be enough to cause the Kurta to misinterpret what was happening and imprison his pet Spider out of shock. When Hisoka moaned and practically _melted_ into Chrollo's arms, he had to pause to reconsider his strategy. 

Chrollo stared. Hisoka looked as if he were in heaven. "Illumi," the Spider said, keeping his voice as quiet and calm as he could. Hisoka was twitching in his arms. "We need to talk."

***

"What happened?" Kurapika asked, throwing Hisoka a spare set of underwear and a new top. 

"He wouldn't fuck me, that's what happened, the fucking _bitch!_ " Hisoka lied, hoping that Chrollo could hear him through the door. 

"He wouldn't?" Kurapika asked, raising his brow. "No, that's not what I meant," he corrected. "You practically passed out when Illumi-"

"Went nuclear?" Hisoka huffed. "Well of _course_ I did; if you hadn't noticed, I'm in _Zetsu_ because _someone_ has stolen my ability...again." He narrowed his eyes. The boy was too perceptive. He had to keep him off balance. "You wouldn't have any idea how he was able to do that, would you?"

He'd never felt anything like the all-consuming fire that had swept over him when Illumi had let his control slip, and he wanted more. It felt like home, but he couldn't allow Kurapika to know. He'd tell Chrollo, which meant that he'd know that he cared-

"You broke our deal," Hisoka hissed.

"You broke it first," Kurapika retorted.

"No, I didn't," Hisoka snapped, more out of spite than any desire to tell the truth. He needed to distract himself before he barged into the house and demanded Illumi take him then and there, or worse, told him how he felt.

"Yes, you did!" Kurapika snapped. 

Hisoka had to stop himself from laughing when the boy stamped his foot to get his attention. _Yes, this will do nicely. You really are so fun to play with. It's a shame you have such idiotic principles._ "I never broke his skin," he huffed, playing up the drama as he climbed into his boxers. 

"No, you just broke his blood vessels instead," Kurapika countered. "Did no one ever tell you what a bruise was? He could have-"

Hisoka rolled his eyes. "He loved every minute of it. Sorry to break it to you, but your _boyfriend_ is a kinky fuck who gets his rocks off from-"

"At least mine doesn't kill people for money!" Kurapika snarled, ignoring the heady rush that accompanied Hisoka's assumption. 

"No," Hisoka drawled, sliding the t-shirt over his head. It was far too tight, but he doubted that Illumi would mind. "He does it for fun."

"Not anymore, he doesn't," Kurapika hissed. 

"Oh, and how are you going to stop him?" Hisoka drawled. Winding Kurapika up was far too easy. "You don't like it when he's _vulnerable._ "

***

"Intention," Chrollo agreed. "Yes, it's all about intention."

"I expected him to scream again," Illumi explained. "As he did in your suite. I enjoy listening to his cries, but I suspected that the Kurta wouldn't."

"You assumed that he would have decided that it was me who was causing him the pain and restrained me with his chain?" Chrollo asked as he turned the idea over in his mind. "Simple yet effective. I approve."

"And it should have worked," Illumi said, watching Chrollo as he stirred his tea. "I intended for him to scream."

"But you _wanted_ to mark him as your property," Chrollo pointed out. "Even I felt that."

"Hisoka thinks that he wants you," Illumi replied and tilted his head when Chrollo laughed. 

"Not anymore," Chrollo chuckled. "He'll never want me again." _Not after he felt you._

"And you're happy about this?" Illumi concluded.

"I-" Chrollo began and looked out of the window. Kurapika was lecturing Hisoka about something but the mere idea of him touching someone else... Of Kurapika's lips pressed against anyone else's... "Yes," he agreed. "Hisoka was never meant for me."

"If you stay with the Kurta, you'll die," Illumi said. "Hisoka won't take what you've done lightly. I suspect that he will retaliate."

"Yes," Chrollo agreed, sipping at his tea so that Illumi wouldn't see his sneer. "Let's talk about that."

***

"He isn't like that!" Kurapika insisted. "You have no idea what he's-"

"I was a member of his Troupe for _years_ ," Hisoka drawled, gripping his knee to stop his leg from twitching.

"And how much of that was actually spent _with_ him?" Kurapika asked. 

"He was never alone with me," Chrollo replied as he led Illumi into the garden. "I had no intention of fighting him until I was ready but," he flashed Kurapika a knowing grin. "It would seem that fate had different plans for us." 

"So it would seem," Hisoka sneered, tracking Illumi as he made his way towards him. "I was never one to place my faith in fortunes; they're fickle."

"A wise choice," Illumi said, placing his hand on Hisoka's shoulder. He was gratified to find that hearing Hisoka's sigh of relief caused a flush of satisfaction within himself. His conclusions had been correct. "But I am not."

"And neither is Kurapika," Chrollo added, holding out his hand for his Kurta to take. His heart jumped when he did.

All the weeks of planning had come to this. By now his Troupe would be scattered across the country, and he was here, laying himself bare for the sake of a man who, not a few months earlier, would have happily killed him. 

Fate may well be fickle, but Fortune favoured the brave.

He squeezed Kurapika's hand. "I'd like to propose a deal."

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry that it's taken so long to publish...2020 has been one hell of a year. Hopefully, this can brighten a few Christmases!


End file.
